5 Luxe Armored Cars

You have to be somebody pretty important, for better or worse, to own any of the luxe armored cars on this list. Bulletproof cars have become ubiquitous and boring, but there's still an air of mystique surrounding the world of ultra-luxury armored sedans. These sedans are designed to stop everything from poison gas to IEDs and then some. You may never be important enough to have someone lob nerve gas at you, but that shouldn't stop you from checking out all of these luxe armored cars and wondering "what if."

The Audi A8 L Security has a 0 to 60 time of around 7 seconds thanks to its 6.3-liter W12 engine that produces 500hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. The car can withstand shots from high-powered rifles and blasts from IEDs and hand grenades. The cabin has been fitted with a special system that pumps fresh air in during the event of a chemical attack. In the event the car needs to be abandoned a button has been installed to make it easier to knock out the heavily armored doors.

Most armored cars go for subtly over flashiness, but this $8 million Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB is not most armored cars. It can withstand blasts from grenades and bullets from AK-47s, but it's also covered in 265 pounds worth of gold. Hopefully the Middle Eastern businessman who reportedly bought it doesn't venture into the shady parts of the desert very often.

Brits looking for an armored luxury car need look no further than the unassuming Jaguar XJ Sentinel. It can withstand a blast from up to 33 pounds of TNT in addition to offering protection from assault rifles and machine guns. Performance wise the bulky Jag, all 7,275 pounds of it, leaves a lot to be desired. Its 385hp 5.0-liter V8 hits 62 mph in under 10 seconds, a time which is hopefully fast enough to escape roaming bandits and would-be assassins.

RENNtech decided to tune the Mercedes-Benz S600 Guard to make it easier to escape from danger. The ECU was redone; a carbon fiber airbox was added and the intercooler pump was substantially strengthened. All told the S600 Guard now has 640hp, up from 517hp, and 775 lb-ft of torque.

The Maybach 62 Guard is a massive luxury sedan with a surprising 0 to 60 time. The 62 Guard gets 900 pounds added to its already bulky frame in the form of steel and Kevlar reinforcements. With all that extra weight the Maybach's twin-turbo V12 can still go from 0 to 62 in 5.7 seconds and hit an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.